Digital Winners & Losers

February 01, 2018

Read The Full Prompt

Digital technologies are upending many industries and companies. Think about Uber’s impact on the taxi business or Spotify’s impact on music downloads and the record industry.

For this assignment, we would like you to identify companies/organizations that you think are winning or losing. Just work on either winners or losers. Please focus on just one organization. Tell us why they are a winner or loser. Discuss elements of how they create and/or capture value that is leading you to call them a winner or loser.

Create an approximately 500-750 word post to make your contribution on d3.harvard.edu/platform-digit by 6pm on Feb 1. Please create appropriate tags for your post including if it is a “winner” or “loser.” Please also respond to and comment on three other posts per module. Feel free to use graphics, data, videos and links to other sites to corroborate your points.

Selected posts will be discussed in class and also featured on the HBS Digital Initiative website.

Please prepare a 2-3 min summary of your blog post before class.

Submitted (83)

Ripple, the disruptor to the forty years old cross-border payment system
Peter Chen
Posted on February 2, 2018 at 8:06 am
Ripple uses blockchain technology to disrupt an old industry - cross-border payment
GLOSSIER: A Direct-to-Consumer Beauty Disruptor
CW
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 3:54 pm
How digital winner Glossier rose to cult status by using social media and digital content creation to establish a beauty community platform.
“Human Uber”
Nandx
Last modified on February 1, 2018 at 4:40 pm
Feeling tired to go to some events but your physical presence is important? Let the "Human Uber" attend it for you!
Zola: Vowing to Simplify the Wedding Process
Sairah
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 5:53 pm
Zola is disrupting the wedding industry with its gift registry business, without taking on the risk of managing the gifts.
No Signs of Surrender at This Retail Bank
LT
Last modified on January 31, 2018 at 4:07 pm
Many have prophesied the death of retail banking - and while the traditional retail model may be dead, at least one traditional bank is changing to keep up with the times.
Butch Cassidy of the Modern Age: How the Digital World is Enabling Modern Day Bank Robbers
jessica
Posted on January 31, 2018 at 11:01 pm
As more data goes digital, the volume and scale of cybercrime continues to increase. Companies and consumers alike should be concerned about modern day "bank robbers."
Estonia: Showcasing the Digital Future of Citizenship
Austin
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 3:33 pm
Small baltic nation leads the way on digital citizenship through e-identity and e-residency programs.
The New York Times’ Impressive Digital Transition
Laura Barnes
Posted on February 2, 2018 at 9:57 am
NYT turns on a dime
EcoCash – How a telco turned a cash crisis into a cash cow
Crystal
Last modified on February 1, 2018 at 5:56 pm
In the face of a cash crisis, Econet, Zimbabwe's largest telco, introduced a mobile digital payment solution that saw the company become a market leader in the provision of financial services.
The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again?) of BlackBerry
JLuo
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 2:31 pm
The roller coaster journey of the world's original smartphone leader.
SONY: from disruptor to disrupted
A.J. Steinlage
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 5:41 pm
How does a company highlighted at the Harvard Business School as a preeminent example of disruptive innovation become a loser?
A Blockbuster Failure and the Changing Media Landscape
B4AD56
Last modified on January 31, 2018 at 3:52 pm
The fall of Blockbuster remains a classic example of digital disruption. Formerly a dominant player in the rental market, Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy in 2010. The trends the led to the big B's demise are also challenging the media ecosystem [...]
Paytm
Shiv
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 3:30 pm
India's Digital Wallet
In a Digital World, PTC is a real winner.
Curtis Christensen
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 5:17 pm
PTC, a leading software company is evolving to be a leader in IoT and AR.
TurboTax by Intuit: Taxes don’t have be Taxing
Jay Kumar
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 2:52 pm
By seizing the opportunities afforded by digital technologies, Intuit redefined how taxes are filled.
AT&T: from baby Bell to dumb pipe ?
Y.Z.
Posted on January 31, 2018 at 10:02 pm
Few industries are as loathed as Telcos. Lousy service, opaque billing, rising rates, you name it. But do we really want their demise ?
Why do your own laundry when your robot can do it for you?
CNH
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 4:24 pm
How Honda developed the world's most advanced humanoid robot, and sold it to no one.
Instagram: Social Media’s Big Winner
Carlfuda
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 5:47 pm
The 'Gram's rise to dominance.
Nvidia: Dominating GPUs Benefits More Than Just Gamers
ADW
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 3:46 pm
Nvidia has benefited from the crypto-mining boom, but has set itself up for continued success beyond blockchain.
Hotel Tonight – A Travel Winner
MAB
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 6:04 pm
Hotel Tonight (HT) is a mobile-only marketplace that brings together hotels with travelers. HT started in 2010 as a mobile app that helps travelers find a hotel room on the same day at a discounted rate. It achieved deeply discounted [...]
Condé Nast: No Longer in Vogue
JZ
Last modified on February 1, 2018 at 3:04 pm
Condé Nast, once a magazine powerhouse, is in decline. Through a series of company reorganizations and brand closures, all signs point to a company struggling to adapt to the digital economy.
Starbucks’ Mobile App: A winner in bridging the retail / digital divide
m_watson
Last modified on January 31, 2018 at 10:30 pm
Why was Starbucks, a coffee retailer, able to gain more adoption of mobile payments, with 30% of transactions through mobile compared to Apple Pay, which is only used by ~5% of customers?
Peloton: Bringing the Studio to You
MHS
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 3:47 pm
Peloton has created their own "fitness as a service" ecosystem that delivers the quality and experience of a boutique studio workout without leaving your home.
Can a 69 billion$ acquisition save CVS against Amazon disruption?
A
Posted on February 1, 2018 at 6:26 pm
CVS recently announced the acquisition of U.S. health insurer Aetna Inc for $69 billion, with the goal to introduce lower-cost medical services in pharmacies. Will the move stop CVS stock price decline as Amazon threatens to enter the pharmaceutical market?
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